Unlikely Fear
by Literapture
Summary: When searching for a specific copy of the Barsburg Bible, Teito finds out something unexpected about Frau.  Mostly humor and fluff. Kind of FrauxTeito themed.


**We had a thunderstorm a couple weeks back and, while I stood out in the wind and rain, I thought _'Hm, I haven't done a story with a fear of thunder yet... gotta cover all the cliches.' _So I went through a few candidates for said fear... and ended up at one of the least likely. Why? For. The. Hell of it.  
This is a little OOC but what can you expect...**

**Now, read... XD**

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"Damn that perverted excuse for a bishop!"

Fuming, Teito slammed close the book he had pulled from the church's library shelves and slid nimbly down the ladder rungs to land on the marble floor. He had been looking for a copy of volume seventeen of the Barsburg Bible so that he and Hakuren could study properly that night for the clergy exam, only to open the cover to the artfully hidden pages of many girls and little clothing. Book gripped firmly at his side, Teito made his way angrily towards the library doors, intending to hunt down the offending bishop in question.

"Good evening, Teito-kun. Is something the matter?"

Teito stopped in his tracks and turned to see Castor smiling good-naturedly at him from beside a small study table, a few nameless books held in his gloved hands.

"Castor-san! Good evenin-," the sudden appearance of one of the bishop's blank-eyed dolls caused Teito to stumble slightly over his words but Castor didn't seem to notice. "Uh, no, nothing's wrong," Teito continued. The doll reached for Castor's books and he handed them to her as easily as though she wasn't a living marionette of his own creation. Teito forced himself to look away and focused instead on Castor's glasses as his eyes were currently hidden by the gleam of light. "Um, you wouldn't happen to know where Frau is right now, would you?"

At his words, Castor's gaze seemed to shift down to the book still clutched in Teito's hands. "Hm," he murmured disapprovingly. "I'm afraid not. But perhaps I can-"

"Castor!"

Both Castor and Teito turned to see Labrador striding quickly towards them, white robes flowing out behind him.

"Ah, Labrador," said Castor. "Why the hurry?"

Labrador stopped in front of them, his bishop hat a little askew. "A storm is coming," he said, violet eyes wide. "I'm going to check on the garden."

Castor tilted his head to the side. "A storm?" he repeated. "Hm, I should inform Razette." He made as though to leave with Labrador but stopped suddenly and turned back to Teito. "Oh, Teito-kun, it seems you'll find Frau in his room."

Teito blinked. "Oh, uh, thanks!" he called but both bishops had already left through the library doors.

_'How'd he suddenly know where Frau would be?'_ Teito thought as he made his way down the long, empty hallways to Frau's room. _'Did it have something to do with what Labrador said? But he just mentioned the storm and his flowers…'_ Glancing to his right out over the courtyard, he could see Labrador had been right about the storm; great, billowing masses of gray and blue swirled above the church and the first dim rumbles of thunder could be heard between flashes of distant lightning.

He reached Frau's door and raised his hand to knock loudly against the heavy wood. "Frau!" he called. His voice echoed through the stone and marble hallway, but no one answered. "Frau?" he called again, though it was more of a question this time. Silence followed and Teito hesitated for a moment before carefully pushing open the door.

The room inside was dark, lit only by the dim light still available from the one window. The only furnishings were a desk and a neatly made bed that Teito knew Frau almost never used as he preferred the casket on the floor instead.

Not knowing what else to do, Teito made his way awkwardly over to sit on the edge of the bed to wait. Staring absently out the window to his left, he watched the storm grow in size and power as thick raindrops began to splatter across the glass.

"What are you doing here, brat?"

Teito jumped to his feet, whipping around to see Frau standing darkly in the doorway. He let the door close behind him and stood, glaring oddly at Teito.

"Waiting for you, stupid bishop!" Teito felt his surprise fading to be replaced by annoyance once again as he remembered why he had come here in the first place, and he let it fuel him on. "Stop hiding your porn in the library! Where's the real copy of volume seventeen?"

Frau sighed, bringing his hand up to rub the side of his head in obvious exasperation. "It's still in the library, just on a different shelf. I'll give it to you tomorrow, kid, now go away."

"I'm not a kid! And what do you mean you'll give it to me tomorrow? I'm supposed to study with Hakuren tonight!" Lightning flashed in the corner of Teito's eye and he automatically began silently counting down seconds until the thunder that would follow.

One. "Little kids shouldn't stay up so late." Two. Three. "I'm sure you can wait until morning, brat." Four. "Now get ou-," Five.

_CRASH_

Frau jumped at the sudden rumble of thunder and then closed his eyes. "Out," he finished.

Teito didn't say anything for a moment, just stood watching Frau curiously, slowly piecing things together. Castor suddenly knowing where Frau would be after only a few simple words with Labrador; Frau's eagerness to get rid of Teito; and then, his reaction just now. The disguised magazine hung half-forgotten at Teito's side.

"Frau," Teito began hesitantly after a moment, annoyance forgotten for the time being. "Are you, uh… are you afr-," a sudden blue glare from Frau stopped him midsentence. Though he couldn't help but notice that Frau didn't bother denying the half-accusation.

Without looking at Teito, Frau made his way over to sit silently on the edge of his bed, face in his hands. Lightning flashed again outside the window followed almost immediately by a low rumble of thunder. Frau didn't look up.

Teito stood at a loss, looking down at the bishop. It was obvious he wanted to be alone but Teito didn't move. Instead, after a moment's hesitation, he dropped back down onto the bed and, not knowing what else to do, let himself fall backwards, his head hitting the blankets with a muffled 'whumf'. He lay, staring up at the ceiling, feet dangling just above the floor, in silence.

"What are you still doing here, brat?"

Teito glanced down to see Frau glaring back at him with an expression of annoyed perplexity.

Teito shrugged and returned his gaze to the ceiling. "I thought I was doing you a favor." Something dark hung in the corner above the bed. Another flash of lightning revealed it to be a model of a kor and Teito couldn't decide whether to glare or smile at the irony of hanging a messenger of Verloren in a church. But this was _Frau's_ room. "I'd prefer to have someone with me when I'm afraid."

A pause. "Who said I needed a favor?"

Teito blushed, annoyance returning along with embarrassment. "Ungrateful bishop! Fine, I can leave then!" He sat up and his hand automatically reached for the fake copy of volume seventeen as he stood to leave.

Frau looked up. "Hey, leave that here," he said, eyes on the book in Teito's hand.

Teito clenched his fists and jerked the magazine out of Frau's reach. "What do you want it for now of all times?" he demanded.

"Ever heard the phrase 'comfort food', brat?" Frau tried reaching around Teito for his book but Teito took a step back.

"Pervert, that's not food! You don't need porn to live!"

Frau smirked. "Says you."

Teito used the magazine to hit Frau hard over the head. "Idiot! Fine, I can find volume seventeen myself." With angry strides, he made his way towards the door, magazine forgotten on the floor beside the bed.

"…Teito."

_CRASH_

Teito froze with his hand on the doorknob, trying to pretend he hadn't heard his name half-whispered over the thunder, but he didn't turn the handle. He stood there for a moment, uncertain, putting off actually leaving the room in favour of waiting.

After a long while, Frau spoke. "You can stay," he said so quietly Teito was sure the only way he could hear him was due to the heavy silence the storm brought between crashes. He kept his hand resting on the door handle for a moment more before turning back around, frowning slightly. Frau still wasn't looking at him; instead he was facing away from the night lit window, towards the corner's shadows. From what Teito could see of his expression though, his eyes looked grim, the humor faded. Deflating slightly, Teito gave in and walked slowly back to sit down next to Frau on the edge of the bed. As he dropped down to sit though, he unobtrusively kicked the bent cover of volume seventeen, sliding the porn under the bed and out of sight.

"Smooth, kid."

Teito didn't look at Frau. "Shut up, unless you want me to change my mind about staying."

Frau didn't reply but Teito couldn't be sure if it was because of what he'd said or the fresh rumbles of thunder now echoing outside. Turning his head a little to the side, Teito could see Frau's eyes were closed again, his mouth set.

'_Like he's remembering something… dark._'

Curiosity nagged at him but he resisted pushing for details when Frau was so obviously struggling with his own thoughts.

Teito yawned as he realized how late it must have gotten since he'd left the library. '_Hakuren'll be annoyed that I didn't go to study with him like I promised._' But the thought didn't linger and he felt himself fall lightly to the side to rest against Frau's arm. At the touch, Frau tensed but didn't try to move away.

"You were supposed to study tonight?" he asked instead.

Teito blinked at the question. "Uh, yeah," he said, still leaning against Frau's arm. "That's why I need volume seventeen; neither me nor Hakuren can remember the last part of a verse in chapter twelve." Teito frowned at the thought, remembering him and Hakuren arguing for hours over the details of that one line. Hakuren was adamant about remembering it on his own but Teito wasn't so determined and had meant to find the correct volume and show it to his roommate that night and be over with it. "Something about 'shattered souls' I think…"

Frau chuckled and Teito glared up at him. "You know it, don't you?" he demanded angrily.

"Of course I know it; I'm a bishop, aren't I?" Frau looked arrogantly back down at Teito, smugness clear on his face.

Teito dug his elbow into Frau's ribs causing him to give a quiet grunt of pain. "Like that's ever made a difference before," Teito grumbled, crossing his arms in front of him.

Frau was silent for a moment before he spoke again. "_'And in thee, our souls rest, too tired to defend their splintered borders; but with dawn's early light, the tired shadows of defeat are chased away and in their place shall come faith, love, and life.'_"

_CRASH_

Teito felt Frau's arm tense slightly against him at the fresh rumble of thunder but he didn't comment on it.

"Thanks," he mumbled instead, bringing his knees up to wrap his arms around them. After a moment, Frau shifted, moving his arm to bring it to rest lightly across Teito's shoulders, his hand on his head. Teito gave one more yawn, telling himself he could keep his eyes open, could stay awake, but the darkness grew and the reality of the storm soon lost to sleep.

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**EXTRA**

(Morning)

Teito woke to the sound of his name.

"Oi, brat! Get up!"

Groggy, Teito forced himself to sit up, rubbing his eyes as he did so, trying to remember where he was. The light was wrong; the window should be on the opposite side of the room, and why did he still have his day clothes on…?

Suddenly realizing where he was, Teito let out a startled yelp and spun, meaning to jump to his feet, only to fall backwards off the bed and land hard on the stone floor.

"Hm, I see years of military training in your past," Frau commented sarcastically from his seat on the edge of the casket's cover.

"Ngh," Teito grumbled, still too fresh from sleep to think of an intelligent reply. "I didn't intend to fall asleep…" he mumbled as he pushed himself to his feet.

"I didn't intend for you to either, but you looked like you needed it."

Teito turned to face Frau, stifling a yawn as he did so. He was about to comment that he should go find Hakuren and apologize for disappearing last night, when he noticed Frau's clothes.

"When did you change?" he demanded instead, eyes wide now as the last remnants of sleep were chased off. When Teito had come to find the real copy of volume seventeen, he was sure Frau had been wearing his preferred dark blue coat with the unmistakably low neckline. Now he sat in the thick, white folds of his bishop clothing with his hat resting next to his hand on the lid of the casket.

Frau didn't blink. "Just before you woke up," he said casually, lifting his hat to twirl around on his finger.

Teito felt himself blush. "Why didn't you wake me?" He wasn't the heaviest sleeper; if he had woken a few moments earlier…

Frau smirked. "Didn't think you'd _want_ me to, brat. But if that's the case…"

"Stupid pervert!" Teito yelled, blushing furiously. Fuming, he stomped past Frau towards the door. As he reached for the doorknob, he felt a hand rest lightly on his head and ruffle his hair briefly.

"Thanks, Teito."

Teito didn't reply but as he left he didn't slam the door _quite_ as hard as he might have.

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**I really hope this didn't put an image of Frau hiding under his blankets every time there's a storm... because _that_ would disturb me. And I didn't mean to completely stab his dignity between the eyes... it just... happened. XP  
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**Hope you enjoyed this... random spew.**

**Come sempre, grazie per leggere!  
**


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